Real Magazine Article (July 1996)

Jaci Velasquez
Musical Sensation

       Jaci Velasquez is a typical teenager who wakes up in the morning, takes a shower, blow dries her hair, and begins her day. She eats cold cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch. So what is it that makes Jaci a little different from everybody else her age? How about this: At age 11 she beat out 3,000 other entrants in a musical pageant. Before age 13 she sang at the White House. Now, at age 16, she releases her first album. Loaded with songs destined to become hits, Jaci is on a mission from God. She wants to reach people her age that the youth pastors and churches aren't reaching. She recently submitted an article to REAL sharing a little about herself and what's on her mind. Let's take a look to see what she has to say.
       "If I had to describe myself, I'm a romantic. I'm sensitive and passionate about things. I love to pretend. I can put up a front so people will think I'm tough, but what they don't know is, sometimes I hurt. I wouldn't tell them, because I am afraid I will hurt them too. I have lots of energy, actually I'm 'hyper,' and I am never, by any means, tired. I love people. Sometimes I will have people over until midnight just playing a card game.
       "I started singing in ministry when I was nine years old. My father had performed with several groups, and when I was nine, my mother and father and I began touring as a group. My mother and I sang backup for my dad, but after a while I started singing songs on my own. I wrote my first song when I was 11 years old. We started negotiating my first record deal when I was 14.
       "I have a close-knit family, with three older brothers, and one older sister. They don't sing but they are the most important people in my life. I would give up anything in the world for my family. My mother is definitely my best friend, and my dad has taught me everything I know. People say I look exactly like my mom. I hope I do, because she's one of the most beautiful people in the entire world. My father is one of the most talented in the world. I love my whole family.
       "My parents don't allow me to date yet. I don't think I could handle it right now. I am so busy, and I would hate not to be able to give somebody my time. I really like guys. At times it's frustrating, but at other times, I realize why it's good that I don't date. My parents have always explained to me why they are so protective. They're sheltering me from all the bad things in this world. Most of the time I'm thankful I don't have to deal with those pressures or get hurt like many people do. I still have the rest of my life ahead of me. The song, 'Shelter,' on my new album talks about just that. Mark Heimermann and Wayne Kirkpatrick wrote it after talking to me about my parents and their rules for me. I wouldn't trade the upbringing I have had. I think teens today are put in too many situations they shouldn't be. Like the song says, 'Lord shelter me, the ways of the world are at my feet.'
       "One of the songs on my album is about purity -- keeping yourself pure before God until marriage. This is something I feel very strongly about. I have a lot of friends my age who have had children or are pregnant, and their lives seem sad. They seem worn out, and too young to be that tired. For instance, my friend and her baby have full-blown AIDS, she is only 14. Like 'I Promise' (the only song I wrote on my new album) says, 'I've seen suffering that loneliness can cause.' That's exactly the way I feel. I still have the same feelings and the same temptations that other teenagers have, but I want to encourage people to wait.
       "Making this album has been an incredible experience. I feel like I've put all of my feelings on tape and I'm letting people know what's on my heart. The whole album is a replica of my personality. All of me is in this project and I hope it will touch many lives."